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Thursday, September 4, 2014

Quote of the Day!

Have you ever had one of those moments when a sentence,
phrase, or saying that leaps out off of the page at you? Rattling around in
your brain for the next day or two?

Bueller? Bueller?

Just me, then. Damn.

Anyway, this may or may not set off a helpful-quotes
motivates existential type blog. Or may simply result in another long rambling,
barely cohesive blog post. It’s a risk I take every time I veer from
self-derision. And since I’ve sworn off of negative self-talk for the next 20
days (give or take) in an effort to totally re-vamp myself… existential
gibberish it is!

“Being aggressive is
fine if you’re a boxer or a skier. But we have living, breathing, feeling
animals underneath us. I don’t think it’s right to use them as a stepping stone
to get to the next level.”

-Curt Pate

Now I realize that we outgrow horses and have to move them
on to their next home and not everyone can own their horses forever, allowing
them to retire to pasture in their golden years… But I really don’t think
that’s what this quote is about.

My take away is that there are better paths to personal
glory. Sure, I love ribbons and awards nearly as much at the next person, but I
want my horses to like me. Not just during breakfast and dinner when I show up
with the food bowl, but also when I’m grooming, tacking up, riding and after
working. Maybe I’m anthropomorphizing a bit, but I can tell when my herd is
happy, sad, worried or stressed out.

We’ve all seen that person at a horse show or clinic who
blames their horse for being a horse. We’ve heard about the trainers who take
short cuts to get quick and easy results. We’ve met riders who have to keep
trading out horses when the ‘magic’ isn’t there immediately or the ribbons
don’t come quickly enough.

As riders and trainers, we really owe it to our horses to
enrich their lives; to develop that little personal relationship with our
trusty steeds. After all, that’s why
(most of us) got into horses – for that relationship that’s just not possibly
with a basketball or motorcycle.

Sometimes we just need that little reality check when we
completely blow it at a show or have a day where the flying changes just.
aren’t. there.

My goal is not to use Bucky as just a tool to get to Grand
Prix. I want him to enjoy working with me.

Delight is not my ticket to fame and fortune. My goal with
her is not that other people will take a look and thing wow, look how great Alison is! My goal is develop horses who love
their work in the same way Bucky does… Because really, there is nothing quite
like riding a horse who loves their job.

Oh, on a ‘positive self talk’ note: Delight and I had
wonderfully supple and powerful moments yesterday. Admittedly there were also
moments where she flipped me the bird and told me exactly where I could shove
my requests, but baby steps. We’ll get there some day… Hopefully by October.